Item D03
SIR PETER ANDERSON
SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE CONCH REPUBLIC
613 SIMONTON STREET
KEY wEST, FLICR
33040
Mayor and Commissioners, Monroe County Board of County Commissioners;
My name is Peter Anderson, and I work and reside at 613 Simonton Street in Key West. For
twenty years I have produced Conch Republic themed events in the Florida Keys, and many
parts of the world, including Europe.
Item D-2 ON today's bulk approvals considers some $34,000.00 in DAC V and IDC approved
funding for an event to be produced by the Upper Keys Business Group (UKBG), contract #666,
said event entitled "Key Largo Independence Celebration".
I wish to address some concerns I have with this event contract.
My concern is that while this contract does not mention the words or term "Conch Republic", or
"Northernmost Territories of the Conch Republic"; this is exactly what the UKBG has self-
proclaimed Key Largo and the Upper Keys as. In short, "independence" in the festival
name could reasonably be inferred to refer to this self-proclaimed "independence" from the
"Conch Republic" as a whole.
My concern is that after this contract is approved, this festival will morph into the "Key Largo
Independence Celebration of the Northernmost Territories of the Conch Republic".
The UKBG has disingenuous history with regard to this use of the words or phrase "Conch
Republic" with the TDC and with this Board in that they did not disclose the fact that their right
to use these words or phrase in a community festival is a matter in question before the Monroe
County Circuit Court, or that they had received a "cease and desist" demand when planning such
a festival in 20Gf:
Nor do I see (or have I seen) any disclosure that they executed a Conch Republic themed event
and community festival in 20cy, while awaiting adjudication of a Request for Declaratory
Judgment concerning their right to do so.
I would therefore request this Board to add language to Contract #666, stipulating that public tax
dollars (TDC funds) not be used for the production of a festival utilizing the words, "Conch
Republic" or "Northernmost Territories of the Conch Republic" in the production, promotion,
lO 1'd-10Q
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marketing, or advertising in any way relating to the event in question; "Key Largo Independence
Celebration" .
This stipulation will only serve to maintain and protect the-integrity of the name of the festival
and event that is the subject of this contract, and assure that there is no breach of the contact
before the Board.
In this manner, Monroe County will protect itself from any involvement in the matter(s) in
litigation before the court, in which the UKBG has already sued this honorable board.
Thank you for your time today.
Sincerely,
L~
\Peter Anderson